BEARDSTOWN — The beginning of construction draws closer on a two-lane bridge to replace the oft-repaired U.S. 67 bridge over the Illinois River.
Jeff South, regional engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation Region 4, said the $69.6-million multi-year project is funded and one of the next steps is to seek bids for designs for the new bridge.
The U.S. 67 bridge replacement was initially going to be a four-lane project after a 1995 study identified U.S. 67 as a route that would benefit businesses by being a four-lane expressway. However, initial costs to replace the bridge hovered in the $170 million range, according to IDOT reports, making the bridge project less feasible as time went on.
South said that within the last six months, it was decided that going with a two-lane bridge that could eventually be adapted into a twin structure for a four-lane route would be the most beneficial and cost-effective option.
“We don’t want to continue putting a lot of money into the existing structure,” South said. “We want to do what’s possible instead of holding off and waiting and hoping we can afford a much more expensive structure.”
The style of the bridge has yet to be determined as the needs of the U.S. Coast Guard will determine the span length that is necessary for water traffic. South said that the bridge presents no unique challenges other than the length of the bridge, which is around 0.6 of a mile.
Another big phase for the project will be land acquisition and easements. Following that, construction is anticipated to begin within six years. There is no determination on how long the construction will take, as that will be dependent on the design of the bridge, weather, and many other factors.
The old U.S. 67 bridge at Beardstown will remain in place while the new bridge is constructed to the south.
During this time, regular maintenance will be done to the bridge along with any repairs necessary to keep it fully operational.
